Fiwipino Americans (Fiwipino: Mga Piwipinong Amerikano) are Americans of Fiwipino descent. The term Fiwipino American is sometimes shortened to Fiw-Am[15] or Pinoy.[16] Anoder term which has been used is Phiwippine Americans.[17] The earwiest appearance of de term Pinoy (feminine Pinay), was in a 1926 issue of de Fiwipino Student Buwwetin.[18] Some Fiwipinos bewieve dat de term Pinoy was coined by Fiwipinos who came to de United States to distinguish demsewves from Fiwipinos wiving in de Phiwippines.[19]

The history of Spanish and American ruwe and contact wif merchants and traders cuwminated in a uniqwe bwend of Eastern and Western cuwtures in de Phiwippines.[38] Fiwipino American cuwturaw identity has been described as fwuid, adopting aspects from various cuwtures;[39] dat said dere has not been significant research into de cuwture of Fiwipino Americans.[40]Fashion, dance, music, deater and arts have aww had rowes in buiwding Fiwipino American cuwturaw identities and communities.[41][page needed]

In areas of sparse Fiwipino popuwation, dey often form woosewy-knit sociaw organizations aimed at maintaining a "sense of famiwy", which is a key feature of Fiwipino cuwture. These organizations generawwy arrange sociaw events, especiawwy of a charitabwe nature, and keep members up-to-date wif wocaw events.[42] Organizations are often organized into regionaw associations.[43] The associations are a smaww part of Fiwipino American wife. Fiwipino Americans formed cwose-knit neighborhoods, notabwy in Cawifornia and Hawaii.[44] A few communities have "Littwe Maniwas", civic and business districts taiwored for de Fiwipino American community.[45]

Despite being from Asia, Fiwipinos are sometimes cawwed "Latinos" due to deir historicaw rewationship to Spanish cowoniawism.[50] The Phiwippines experienced bof Spanish and American cowoniaw territoriaw status,[a] wif its popuwation seen drough each nation's raciaw constructs.[60] This shared history may awso contribute to why some Fiwipinos choose to awso identify as Hispanic or Latino, whiwe oders may not and identify more as Asian Americans.[61] Onwy a smaww percentage of Fiwipino Americans identify as Latino.[62]

Due to history, de Phiwippines and de United States are connected cuwturawwy.[63] In 2016, dere was $16.5 biwwion dowwars worf of trade between de two countries, wif de United States being de wargest foreign investor in de Phiwippines, and more dan 40% of remittances came from (or drough) de United States.[64] In 2004, de amount of remittances coming from de United States was $5 biwwion;[65] dis is an increase from de $1.16 biwwion sent in 1991 (den about 80% of totaw remittances being sent to de Phiwippines), and de $324 miwwion sent in 1988.[66] Some Fiwipino Americans have chosen to retire in de Phiwippines, buying reaw estate.[67][68] Fiwipino Americans, continue to travew back and forf between de United States and de Phiwippines, making up more dan a tenf of aww foreign travewers to de Phiwippines in 2010;[68][69] when travewing back to de Phiwippines dey often bring cargo boxes known as a bawikbayan box.[70]

Fiwipino and Engwish are constitutionawwy estabwished as officiaw wanguages in de Phiwippines, and Fiwipino is designated as de nationaw wanguage, wif Engwish in wide use.[71] Many Fiwipinos speak American Engwish due to American cowoniaw infwuence in de country's education system and due to wimited Spanisheducation.[72] Among Asian Americans in 1990, Fiwipino Americans had de smawwest percentage of individuaws who had probwems wif Engwish.[73] In 2000, among U.S.-born Fiwipino Americans, dree qwarters responded dat Engwish is deir primary wanguage;[74] nearwy hawf of Fiwipino Americans speak Engwish excwusivewy.[75]

In 2010, Fiwipino American Cadowics were de wargest popuwation of Asian American Cadowics, making up more dan dree fourds of Asian American Cadowics.[94] In 2015, a majority (65%) of Fiwipino Americans identify as Cadowic;[95] dis is down swightwy from 2004 (68%).[96] Fiwipino Americans, who are first generation immigrants were more wikewy to attend mass weekwy, and trended to be more conservative, dan dose who were born in de United States.[97]

In de 2010s, successfuw and criticawwy reviewed Fiwipino American restaurants were featured in The New York Times.[115] That same decade began a Fiwipino Food movement in de United States;[116] it has been criticized for gentrification of de cuisine.[117]Bon Appetit named Bad Saint in Washington, D.C. "de second best new restaurant in de United States" in 2016.[118]Food & Wine named Lasa, in Los Angewes, one of its restaurants of de year in 2018.[119] Wif dis emergence of Fiwipino American restaurants, food critics wike Andrew Zimmern have predicted dat Fiwipino food wiww be "de next big ding" in American cuisine.[120] Yet in 2017, Vogue described de cuisine as "misunderstood and negwected";[121]SF Weekwy in 2019, water described de cuisine as "marginaw, underappreciated, and prone to weird booms-and-busts".[122]

Fiwipino Americans undergo experiences dat are uniqwe to deir own identities. These experiences derive from bof de Fiwipino cuwture and American cuwtures individuawwy and de duewing of dese identities as weww. These stressors, if great enough, can wead Fiwipino Americans into suicidaw behaviors.[123] Members of de Fiwipino community wearn earwy on about kapwa, which is defined as “interpersonaw connectedness or togederness.[124]”

Wif kapwa, many Fiwipino Americans have a strong sense of needing to repay deir famiwy members for de opportunities dat dey have been abwe to receive. An exampwe of dis is a new cowwege graduate feewing de need to find a job dat wiww awwow dem to financiawwy support deir famiwy and demsewves. This notion comes from “utang na woob,” defined as a debt dat must be repaid to dose who have supported de individuaw.[125]

Wif kapwa and utang na woob as strong forces enacting on de individuaw, dere is an “aww or noding” mentawity dat is being pwayed out. In order to bring success back to one's famiwy, dere is a desire to succeed for one's famiwy drough wiving out a famiwy's wants as opposed to one's own true desires.[126] This can manifest as one entering a career paf dat dey are not passionate in, but sewect in order to hewp support deir famiwy.[127]

Despite many of de stressors for dese students deriving from famiwy, it awso becomes apparent dat dese are de reasons dat dese students are resiwient. When famiwy confwict rises in Fiwipino American famiwies, dere is a negative association wif suicide attempts.[123] This suggests dat dough famiwy is a presenting stressor in a Fiwipino American's wife, it awso pways a rowe for deir resiwience.[123] In a study conducted by Yusuke Kuroki, famiwy connectedness, wheder defined as positive or negative to each individuaw, served as one means of wowering suicide attempts.[123]

The Citizenship Retention and Re-Acqwisition Act of 2003 (Repubwic Act No. 9225) made Fiwipino Americans ewigibwe for duaw citizenship in de United States and de Phiwippines.[147] Overseas suffrage was first empwoyed in de May 2004 ewections in which Phiwippine President Gworia Macapagaw-Arroyo was reewected to a second term.[148]

By 2005, about 6,000 Fiwipino Americans had become duaw citizens of de two countries.[149] One effect of dis act was to awwow Fiwipino Americans to invest in de Phiwippines drough wand purchases, which are wimited to Fiwipino citizens, and, wif some wimitations, former citizens.[150]), vote in Phiwippine ewections, retire in de Phiwippines, and participate in representing de Phiwippine fwag. In 2013, for de Phiwippine generaw ewection dere were 125,604 registered Fiwipino voters in de United States and Caribbean, of which onwy 13,976 voted.[151]

The Phiwippine government activewy encourages Fiwipino Americans to visit or return permanentwy to de Phiwippines via de "Bawikbayan" program and to invest in de country.[154]

Fiwipinos remain one of de wargest immigrant groups to date wif over 40,000 arriving annuawwy since 1979.[155] The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has a preference system for issuing visas to non-citizen famiwy members of U.S. citizens, wif preference based generawwy on famiwiaw cwoseness. Some non-citizen rewatives of U.S. citizens spend wong periods on waiting wists.[156] Petitions for immigrant visas, particuwarwy for sibwings of previouswy naturawized Fiwipinos dat date back to 1984, were not granted untiw 2006.[157] As of 2016[update], over 380 dousand Fiwipinos were on de visa wait wist, second onwy to Mexico and ahead of India, Vietnam and China.[158] Fiwipinos have de wongest waiting times for famiwy reunification visas, as Fiwipinos disproportionatewy appwy for famiwy visas; dis has wed to visa petitions fiwed in Juwy 1989 stiww waiting to be processed in March 2013.[159]

It has been documented dat Fiwipinos were among dose naturawized due to de Immigration Reform and Controw Act of 1986.[160] In 2009, de Department of Homewand Security estimated dat 270,000 Fiwipino were "unaudorized immigrants". This was an increase of 70,000 from a previous estimate in 2000. In bof years, Fiwipinos accounted for 2% of de totaw. As of 2009[update], Fiwipinos were de fiff-wargest community of iwwegaw immigrants behind Mexico (6.65 miwwion, 62%), Ew Sawvador (530,000, 5%), Guatemawa (480,000, 4%), and Honduras (320,000, 3%).[161] In January 2011, de Department of Homewand Security estimate of "unaudorized immigrants" from de Phiwippines remained at 270,000.[162] By 2017, de number of Fiwipinos who were in de United States iwwegawwy increased to 310,000.[163] Fiwipinos who reside in de United States iwwegawwy are known widin de Fiwipino community as "TnT's" (tago nang tago transwated to "hide and hide").[164]

Fiwipino Americans may be mistaken for members of oder raciaw/ednic groups, such as Latinos or Pacific Iswanders;[165] dis may wead to "mistaken" discrimination dat is not specific to Asian Americans.[165] Fiwipino Americans additionawwy, have had difficuwty being categorized, termed by one source as being in "perpetuaw absence".[166]

In Hawaii, Fiwipino Americans often have wittwe identification wif deir heritage,[169] and it has been documented dat many discwaim deir ednicity.[170] This may be due to de "cowoniaw mentawity", or de idea dat Western ideaws and physicaw characteristics are superior to deir own, uh-hah-hah-hah.[171] Awdough categorized as Asian Americans, Fiwipino Americans have not fuwwy embraced being part of dis raciaw category due to marginawization by oder Asian American groups and or de dominant American society.[172] This created a struggwe widin Fiwipino American communities over how far to assimiwate.[173] The term "white-washed" has been appwied to dose seeking to furder assimiwate.[174] Those who discwaim deir ednicity wose de positive adjustment to outcomes dat are found in dose who have a strong, positive, ednic identity.[171]

Of de ten wargest immigrant groups, Fiwipino Americans have de highest rate of assimiwation.[175] wif exception to de cuisine;[176] Fiwipino Americans have been described as de most "Americanized" of de Asian American ednicities.[177] However, even dough Fiwipino Americans are de second wargest group among Asian Americans, community activists have described de ednicity as "invisibwe", cwaiming dat de group is virtuawwy unknown to de American pubwic,[178] and is often not seen as significant even among its members.[179] Anoder term for dis status is forgotten minority.[180]

This description has awso been used in de powiticaw arena, given de wack of powiticaw mobiwization.[181] In de mid-1990s it was estimated dat some one hundred Fiwipino Americans have been ewected or appointed to pubwic office. This wack of powiticaw representation contributes to de perception dat Fiwipino Americans are invisibwe.[182]

The concept is awso used to describe how de ednicity has assimiwated.[183] Few affirmative action programs target de group awdough affirmative action programs rarewy target Asian Americans in generaw.[184] Assimiwation was easier given dat de group is majority rewigiouswy Christian, fwuent in Engwish, and have high wevews of education, uh-hah-hah-hah.[185] The concept was in greater use in de past, before de post-1965 wave of arrivaws.[186]

The term invisibwe minority has been used for Asian Americans as a whowe,[187][188] and de term "modew minority" has been appwied to Fiwipinos as weww as oder Asian American groups.[189] Fiwipino critics awwege dat Fiwipino Americans are ignored in immigration witerature and studies.[190]

As wif fewwow Asian Americans, Fiwipino Americans are viewed as "perpetuaw foreigners", even for dose born in de United States.[191] This has resuwted in physicaw attacks on Fiwipino Americans, as weww as non-viowent forms of discrimination, uh-hah-hah-hah.[192]

In cowwege and high schoow campuses, many Fiwipino American student organizations put on annuaw Piwipino Cuwture Nights to showcase dances, perform skits, and comment on de issues such as identity and wack of cuwturaw awareness due to assimiwation and cowonization, uh-hah-hah-hah.[193]

Mentaw heawf is a topic dat is sewdom spoken about among de Fiwipino American community because of de stigma dat is attached to it.[195] In de documentary “Siwent Sacrifices: Voices of de Fiwipino American Famiwy” Dr. Patricia Heras points out dat a wack of communication between 1st generation and 2nd generation Fiwipino American immigrants can wead to famiwy members not understanding de personaw hardships dat each one goes drough.[196] Some of de main topics of discussion in dis documentary are depression and suicide ideation experienced by de 2nd generation youf.[196] These topics are supported by a study dat was conducted in 1997 by de Federaw Centers for Disease Controw and Prevention (CDC) dat reveawed dat 45.6% of Fiwipina American teenage students in San Diego pubwic schoows had seriouswy dought about committing suicide. Hawf of dose students had actuawwy attempted suicide.[197] Awdough depression cannot be said to cause suicide, de high scores of depression and wow sewf-esteem show a rewation to de high scores of suicidaw doughts among Fiwipinos.[198]

Depression in Fiwipinos can sometimes be difficuwt to notice widout digging deeper into deir feewings. Fiwipinos can dispway deir depression in many ways such as showing extreme suffering or smiwing even when it may not seem audentic.[195] Some of de common causes of depression incwude: financiaw worries, famiwy separation during de immigration process, and cuwturaw confwict.[195] One of dese cuwturaw confwicts is de bewief dat one must base decisions on what wiww “save face” for de famiwy.[199] A study was pubwished in 2018 by Janet Chang and Frank Samson about Fiwipino American youf and deir non-Fiwipino friends. They had found dat Fiwipino American youf wif dree or more cwose non-Fiwipino friends were more wikewy to experience depression and anxiety more so dan Fiwipino American youf wif two or wess non-Fiwipino friends dat dey considered to be cwose.[200] Awdough having friends of diverse backgrounds gave dese Fiwipinos a sense of incwusion among deir peers, dey awso gained a heightened awareness of discrimination.[200]

The U.S. government promised dese sowdiers aww of de benefits afforded to oder veterans.[205] However, in 1946, de United States Congress passed de Rescission Act of 1946 which stripped Fiwipino veterans of de promised benefits.[206] One estimate cwaims dat monies due to dese veterans for back pay and oder benefits exceeds one biwwion dowwars.[202] Of de sixty-six countries awwied wif de United States during de war, de Phiwippines is de onwy country dat did not receive miwitary benefits from de United States.[179] The phrase "Second Cwass Veterans" has been used to describe deir status.[179][207]

Many Fiwipino veterans travewed to de United States to wobby Congress for dese benefits.[208] Since 1993, numerous biwws have been introduced in Congress to pay de benefits, but aww died in committee.[209] As recentwy as 2018, dese biwws have received bipartisan support.[210]

In de wate 1980s, efforts towards reinstating benefits first succeeded wif de incorporation of Fiwipino veteran naturawization in de Immigration Act of 1990.[179] Over 30,000 such veterans had immigrated, wif mostwy American citizens, receiving benefits rewating to deir service.[216]

Simiwar wanguage to dose biwws was inserted by de Senate into de American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009[217] which provided a one time payment of at weast 9,000 USD to ewigibwe non-US Citizens and 15,000 USD to ewigibwe US Citizens via de Fiwipino Veterans Eqwity Compensation Fund.[218] These payments went to dose recognized as sowdiers or guerriwwas or deir spouses.[219] The wist of ewigibwes is smawwer dan de wist recognized by de Phiwippines.[220] Additionawwy, recipients had to waive aww rights to possibwe future benefits.[221] As of March 2011, 42 percent (24,385) of cwaims had been rejected;[222] By 2017, more dan 22,000 peopwe received about $226 miwwion in one time payments.[223]

In de 113f Congress, Representative Joe Heck reintroduced his wegiswation to awwow documents from de Phiwippine government and de U.S. Army to be accepted as proof of ewigibiwity.[224] Known as H.R. 481, it was referred to de Committee on Veterans' Affairs.[225] In 2013, de U.S. reweased a previouswy cwassified report detaiwing guerriwwa activities, incwuding guerriwwa units not on de "Missouri wist".[226]

In September 2012, de Sociaw Security Administration announced dat non-resident Fiwipino Worwd War II veterans were ewigibwe for certain sociaw security benefits; however an ewigibwe veteran wouwd wose dose benefits if dey visited for more dan one monf in a year, or immigrated.[227]

^Marina Cwaudio-Perez (October 1998). "Fiwipino Americans"(PDF). The Cawifornia State Library. State of Cawifornia. Archived from de originaw(PDF) on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 30 Apriw 2011. Fiwipino Americans are often shortened into Pinoy Some Fiwipinos bewieve dat de term Pinoy was coined by de earwy Fiwipinos who came to de United States to distinguish demsewves from Fiwipinos wiving in de Phiwippines. Oders cwaim dat it impwies "Fiwipino" doughts, deeds and spirit.

^Loni Ding (2001). "Part 1. COOLIES, SAILORS AND SETTLERS". NAATA. PBS. Retrieved 20 August 2011. Most peopwe dink of Asians as recent immigrants to de Americas, but de first Asians—Fiwipino saiwors—settwed in de bayous of Louisiana a decade before de Revowutionary War.

^Carwo Osi (26 March 2009). "Fiwipino cuisine on US tewevision". Mind Feeds. Inqwirer Company. Archived from de originaw on 26 August 2012. Retrieved 31 Juwy 2012. In de United States, de Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese cuwturaw groups often bond for organizationaw purposes, whiwe Fiwipinos in generaw have not. Ednicawwy Fiwipino Americans are divided into Pampangeno, Iwocano, Cebuano, Tagawog, and so forf.

^Mark Gray; Mary Gautier; Thomas Gaunt (June 2014). "Cuwturaw Diversity in de Cadowic Church in de United States"(PDF). United States Conference of Cadowic Bishops. Retrieved 16 March 2017. Some 76 percent of Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Iswander Cadowics are estimated to sewf-identify as Fiwipino (awone and in combinations wif oder identities).

^KATRINA STUART SANTIAGO (8 June 2011). "Bawut as Pinoy pride". GMA. Retrieved 2 Juwy 2011. The bawut is one cwaim to fame we're uncertain about, seeing as it is eqwated wif hissing cockroaches on Fear Factor. Tawk about bringing us back to de dark ages of being de exotic and barbaric brown sibwings of America.

^Thomas Chen (26 February 2009). "WHY ASIAN AMERICANS VOTED FOR OBAMA". PERSPECTIVE MAGAZINE. Archived from de originaw on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2013. A survey of Fiwipino Americans in Cawifornia—de second wargest Asian American ednic group and traditionawwy Repubwican voters

^Edmund M. Siwvestre (18 January 2009). "A Fiw-Am on Capitow Hiww". The Phiwippine Star. Retrieved 29 Apriw 2011. There are now dree members of U.S. Congress wif Fiwipino wineage: Rep. Robert "Bobby" Scott, an African-American representing Virginia's 3rd congressionaw district; and Sen, uh-hah-hah-hah. John Ensign of Nevada.Maxweww, Rahasaan (5 March 2012). Ednic Minority Migrants in Britain and France: Integration Trade-Offs. Cambridge University Press. p. 206. ISBN978-1-107-37803-2. These numbers incwude powiticians wif onwy de swightest connection to de Phiwippines. For exampwe, Bobby Scott of Virginia is commonwy considered an African American and his onwy connection to de Phiwippines is one maternaw grandmoder. John Ensign of Nevada onwy has one Fiwipino great-grandparent.

^Amy Scattergood (25 February 2010). "Off de menu". Los Angewes Times. Retrieved 30 May 2011. That Fiwipino food has, by and warge, not been assimiwated into mainstream American cuisine is ironic, given how adept Fiwipinos historicawwy have been at assimiwating into oder dominant cuwtures (de country is Cadowic; Engwish is de second officiaw wanguage), and given how assimiwated de myriad cuisines have been widin de country itsewf.

^Maze, Rick (2008-01-29). "Senate puts Fiwipino vet pensions in stimuwus"(News Articwe). Army Times. Army Times Pubwishing Company. Buried inside de Senate biww, which incwudes tax cuts and new spending initiatives intended to create jobs in de U.S., de Fiwipino payment was inserted at de urging of Sen, uh-hah-hah-hah. Daniew Inouye, D-Hawaii, de new chairman of de Senate Appropriations Committee and a wongtime supporter of mondwy pensions for Worwd War II Fiwipino veterans.

^Joseph G. Lariosa (9 January 2011). "Fiwipino Veterans Fairness biww fiwed at US Congress". GMA News. Archived from de originaw on January 24, 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2012. The biww wikewise proposes to invawidate de "qwit cwaim" or de waiver of de right of Fiwipino veterans to receive future benefits, wike a wifetime mondwy pension, as provided for in de Fiwipino Veterans Eqwity Compensation (FVEC) of de $787-biwwion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).